How To Stop Cat From Kicking Litter Everywhere
In this article you will know how to stop cat from kicking litter everywhere, once and for all. If you stumbled across an informational website for cats like this one, means that you want to improve your cat owning skills. Your cat should definitely feel grateful to have an owner like you!
There is dominant reason why most people avoid adopting a cat in the first place. Like they say, they say not having enough time and nerves to go after it day after day.
I don’t agree with this. If you have patience and a strong determination to learn how to make owning a cat more convenient, it is such an easy thing.
Most of you are probably freaking out every single time your cat kicks the nasty litter out of the indoor litter box. I feel you completely. I was also exactly that type of person.
However, I decided to step up to this problem and find a solution once and for all. I will present you all of my experience that will help you with the how to stop cat from kicking litter everywhere problem.
If you are a frequent visitor to my website, you probably know my motto. Always put what you read into action. Otherwise there won’t be any results.
Before talking about the 5 top reasons why cat’s are throwing litter out of the litter box, let’s talk what makes cats dig in the litter in first place.
What Causes Cats To Dig In The Litter?
Cat’s are very delicate and clean creatures. If you previously (or currently) own both a dog and a cat, you’d probably agree with me. Most people don’t want to own a cat just because of all the mess it is going to make, or how dirty it will be once it comes home from outdoor.
You should always keep in mind that cats hate mess more than you do! Yes, you heard that right. They will completely resent using even the most expensive, modern and self cleaning litter box cabinet on the market, if you don’t scoop or maintain it for just a couple of days. Cat’s sense that that is a great source of bacteria that may hazard their health. Cat’s senses never lie.
It is their instinct to dig in the litter. Many people categorize it as a cat behavioral problem. But, it is simply not true. You definitely cannot unlearn your cat to dig inside the round litter box. They are doing it to simply cover all of the feces that they make. Putting litter over the waste is the easiest way to prevent the litter box to spread a nasty smell.
You should look at this cat’s instinct as a blessing. They are actually making the job easier for you! Don’t ever punish your cat for spilling litter over the box. It is probably the worst things you can do to stop the litter kicking.
Cats will think that you are actually punishing your cat for defecating or urinating. This can lead to holding in all the waste, thus creating all kinds of health issues in the future.
Not only this, but once the cat defecates, it will be furious to quickly cover the waste. This will make litter to spill all over the litter system. It wouldn’t be a clever idea.
After you accept this mindset, it is up to you to follow the steps on how to stop cat from kicking litter everywhere.
5 Reasons Why Your Cat Throws Litter Everywhere
There are numerous reasons why your cat is throwing the nasty litter all across your household. If your cat is a litter thrower, there are high chances that you fall under one of those categories.
Check out all of these reasons in detail, it may help you find solutions for your ongoing problems.
1. Not Enough Litter Maintenance
This is definitely under your control. Your cat cannot possibly change or scoop the litter on it’s own. If the litter is not changed for weeks or scooped daily, your cat will dig deeper inside the box. The reason why is because it will be determined to find the clean litter. In this process your feline friend will definitely dig harder and harder, thus throwing the bacteria enhanced litter around the box.
What you can do here is the following. Make it a habit to scoop the litter daily. If you don’t have the time or nerves to do it every single day, I’d advise you get a compact, automatic and electric litter box. There are numerous choices you can choose from. I recommend you get a hooded electric box with lid, like the PetSafe ScoopFree Ultra Hooded litter box. Not only will it clean with almost zero maintenance, but it will contain all of the thrown litter thanks to the cover.
2. Excess Litter
This is another major reason why litter is constantly spilled out of the litter box. It doesn’t even matter if you have the best high sided litter box on the market today. Overfilling it with more than 5 inches of litter will be fatal for the odor control in your indoors. All of that surplus of litter will act as a playground for your cat. It will go out of control.
What I recommend is pour in as much litter as the litter box is meant to handle. Some of the litter boxes state clearly how much of litter you need to put in for it to function up to it’s potential. I advice you pour in approximately 3 inches of litter. Not only your cat will avoid playing with it as much as possible, but it would be easier to scoop and replace over time.
3. Not Pouring Enough Litter
This is the third most common problem. It is after the excess litter problem because my experience shows that the majority of cat owners pour in more litter than the recommended amount. Some of the litter boxes like the narrow PetSafe Simply Clean no scoop litter box, requires minimal litter.
However, I wouldn’t advice you get this particular type of automatic litter box, just because it isn’t extra deep and tall enough. In traditional, non electric litter boxes I’d recommend you always keep more than 2 inches of litter.
It may be contrary to common sense, but not pouring enough litter really makes the cat spill litter out of the box. The deficit of litter will make the cat dig deep to cover up all of the waste.
4. Litter Box Is Not Big Enough
To be on the safe side, I always recommend you get a bigger, even extra large (XL) litter box. Cat’s actually love playing around and doing their business inside a bigger box. Most cat owners who have a modern and extra long and big box don’t pour in enough litter.
They think that pouring in more litter will hurt their wallet too much in the long run. Keep in mind that quality litter doesn’t have to be expensive at all. If you scoop it daily it will last you for a very long time.
There is a great and logical reason why I give you this advice to get a bigger, high sided box. When cats are digging inside the box, the litter they are throwing goes under them and backwards. If the box is larger, there will be enough room for all of that thrown litter to land inside the box.
If the box is relatively small, it will all be spilled across the room and around the box. You should avoid this at all costs.
5. Not Getting A Covered Box
You will always be on the safe side if you get a covered, dog proof jumbo sized box. It won’t even matter how much litter you pour in the box or how furious your cat is during the waste covering process. No litter can get thrown out of an enclosed box.
Just remember to pay special attention to the enclosure when you are cleaning the box. All of the litter that is thrown upon the cover creates a nasty smell that can affect the cat’s desire whether it will want to use the box.
If you don’t like the looks of hooded litter boxes, you can always get extra large high sided litter boxes. There are also very decorative, cool and fancy boxes with high sides that will prevent litter spillage.
What You Should Look For In A Litter Box That Handles Litter Kicking
If you’ve read thus far, you probably have a clear image of how the perfect litter box to stop litter spillage should look like. Once you understand this, you will know how to stop cat from kicking litter everywhere. However, there are some people who want to follow strict guides before investing in a modern box.
If you are having difficulties with litter tracking and spillage, forget about your favorite looking litter box. The purpose of litter boxes is to handle the elimination of your cats, not to decor the indoors and furniture of your house. Don’t be afraid though. The litter boxes I am going to recommend you are new and aesthetically pleasing.
- Cover
You should always get a hooded box if you are having litter spilling problems. It is the perfect way to contain all of the litter inside the box.
- High Sides
If you simply don’t like the looks of covered boxes, there is a great alternative. Get a high sided box. The major difference is that you have to clean the box more regularly in comparison to hooded boxes.
The reason is because the high sided boxes aren’t closed. All of the smell will spread across your household if you don’t do the dreaded maintenance.
The majority of covered and high sided litter boxes have elevated entrances. If you have an old or arthristic cat, I’d recommend you check out this list of top litter boxes for older cats.
There are numerous hooded and high sided boxes you can choose from. The reason why modern litter box companies are making the entrances elevated is to make them dog proof.
If you live in a household where you own both dogs and cats, check out this list of the top 7 greatest dog proof litter boxes.
If you want a blend of both covered and high sided litter boxes, there are top entry litter boxes. They have all the advantages of both box types. You definitely cannot go wrong with this.
Here is a list of the best top entry litter boxes on the market today. I wouldn’t recommend a top entry box if you have an above average sized cat. Check out my ModKat litter box review.
- Size
Always get an extra large litter box if there is enough space in your household. Some people prefer to put their boxes in the corner, just so they will save some space.
The greatest thing about investing in a XL litter box is that it may be big enough accommodation for multiple cats. This way you will save some money.
If you are looking for a big, covered and self cleaning litter box, the Open Air Litter Robot III covered box will stop the litter kicking from falling on the ground.
If you want an extra large, high sided and dog immune litter box the Nature’s Miracle Advanced Corner High Sided Litter Box is the way to go.
If you live in a minor studio apartment, but still want to fix this kicking litter issue, I recommend you get the affordable Favorite Jumbo Covered High Side litter box.
What Type Of Litter Should You Use?
If you are looking for an answer for the “how to stop cat from kicking litter everywhere” infamous question, choosing the right type of litter plays a major role.
If you are familiar with the pet supply industry, you probably know that there are various types of litter on the market. There is a clear reason behind it. Each type serves a certain function.
Here we are concerned about which litter is the most resistant to getting thrown outside the box. Surprisingly, litter manufacturers actually found a cure for this problem.
If you are looking for an answer for the “how to stop cat from kicking litter everywhere” infamous question, choosing the right type of litter plays a major role. If you are familiar with the pet supply industry, you probably know that there are various types of litter on the market. There is a clear reason behind it. Each type serves a certain function.
Here we are concerned about which litter is the most resistant to getting thrown outside the box. Surprisingly, litter manufacturers actually found a cure for this problem.
The litter that you should be looking for should have big granules. Avoid using the tiny, clumping litter for your box. The particles of clumping litters are relatively small in size and get easily stuck in between the cat’s paws. This is very bad for litter tracking.
Some litter cabinets like the Booda Clean Step covered box have built in mats that do pretty good job to stop litter tracking. You definitely wouldn’t want both spilled and tracked litter across your household.
Don’t get me wrong. Using clumping litter is still good, but you need to choose from a brand that produces clumping litter with bigger granules. If you also have a litter tracking problem, check out these top 5 litter boxes that prevent litter tracking.
The best possible litter you can use to prevent your cat from kicking litter is the Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Cat Litter.
My Cat Keeps Kicking Litter Out Of The Box
If you follow each of the steps I provided you in the article, you won’t have this issue anymore. However, if your cat is still kicking litter out of the box, I’d recommend you get a litter box mat.
If you choose the proper mat for your litter box, I guarantee that there won’t be any litter spread and spilled out of the box.
Mats for cat litter boxes with sifter are created to stop the litter tracking. But, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t good for households that have problem with their cat kicking litter furiously out of the litter box.
Mats nowadays are decorative and will accent the indoors. You don’t have to hide the litter box in the bathroom or washing room anymore.
If you even followed this recommendation, I bet that it will end the panic of “my cat keeps kicking litter out of the box”. I personally have a simple litter box mat placed under my two hooded litter boxes for my feline family, just in case.
I am sharing with you everything I know from my, and from many other cat owner’s experiences.
The litter boxes that I have satisfy the rules I’ve mentioned in the text above. They are both big and covered, and I use the right litter. Litter spillage and tracking is non existent.
Ever since I put the litter box mat underneath the box, I haven’t found any tracked or spilled litter on it. This is how I know the methods I presented you work!